Events are planned for the start of July to mark the one-year anniversary of the overnight closure of Weston General Hospital’s A&E ward.

The Protect Our NHS campaign group will hold a candlelit vigil at the hospital on July 4 at 9.30pm – a year to the day since Weston Area Health NHS Trust introduced the ‘temporary’ measure.

The department has been closed from 10pm-8am every night since, with hospital bosses saying it would be unsafe to run a 24-hour service due to staffing shortages. Recruitment of consultant and middle-grade doctors is ongoing and no date for a return to around-the-clock emergency care in Weston has been announced.

Protect Our NHS will also hold a picnic on the beach near the Grand Pier on July 5 at 5.30pm to mark the NHS’ 70th birthday. Cake and games will be provided.

And it has organised a march and rally to start at the Italian Gardens at noon on July 7. Jonathan Bartley co-leader of the Green Party and local politicians have agreed to speak at the event.